Metro Newspaper 10th Anniversary Party

On Sep 16, Metro Toronto was celebrating its 10th anniversary in a large east-end furniture shop, Andrew Richards Designs. The theme of the party was superheroes and everything was green from decorations, waiters' uniform to the food itself to reflect Metro's brand colours. The shop was a second location choice to accommodate a huge RSVP response. But even with a change, we had to wait in line for a bit to get in.

More pictures after the jump.

Nuit Blanche 2010. Rough Guide by F&C

ROM

It's raining outside. Fall is here. Like it or not, the weather is changing, the air is being filled with the smell of wet leafs.
And, it's Nuit Blanche time.
The list of projects and installations is overwhelming. I can't make myself scan through them and give you my own top picks (maybe Fira will). So, for now I'll just share with you guides compiled by my trusted sources:

1. BlogTO guide to Nuit Blanche
2. Toronto Life's 10 must-see spectacles

When choosing my Nuit Blanche route, I'll keep in mind my experiences from last year.

TIFF 2010 Finito. Best and Worst Moments & Closing Awards.

Inside TIFF Bell Lightbox

If you have been working on Peter/Adelaide streets during TIFF, surrounded from each side by the new Bell Lightbox on John, a Filmmakers' Lounge on Peter, official hotel on King, ticket center on Blue Jays and a few major screening theatres on Richmond (not counting all the bars), it felt like Christmas. The crowds of industry people with passes were marching the streets like malls during the holidays. In other words, a perfect location for watching and observing.

tsoundcheck, Mahler, and Isabel The Great

 Isabel Bayrakdarian

I haven’t been to the TSO in ages! I am not the biggest fan of the Roy Thomson Hall, and I prefer the Four Seasons Centre so much more (going to see Aida there on October 21). But the fact that my co-worker sings with the Mendelssohn Quire that was performing on the TSO’s season opening made me re-consider…

I bought $14 tickets (they retails for over $100) for myself and my mother through tsoundcheck.com. The program is available for all patrons under 35 and allows you to purchase an additional ticket with no age restriction for every “under 35” ticket you buy. Not all concerts are part of the tsoundcheck, so don’t count on seeing Lang Lang for or Yo-Yo Ma for $14.

The season opening was beyond expectations with Isabel Bayrakdarian singing Mahler’s Second symphony and Peter Oundjian conducting. The audience was unbelievably beautiful – lots of Chanel, pearls, diamonds, and walking sticks (the average age of attendants is over 60).

What about you? Would you consider going to the symphony?

F.

I Got: Botkier

I am not sure what devil was dragging me in the opposite direction of my house to the Eaton Centre. The excuse was to look for the comfortable shoes for work. Classic loafers that would be perfect for rainy days and a transitional weather. And! Instead I get the opposite of those! Complete opposite. Shoes with the highest heel I have ever had, so I'll need to pay for cab if I get to wear them twice a year. Open, so that twice-a-year better happen in a warmer seasons. I'm not mentioning that I had to pay for them as well. And my pay day is a week away. Never mind all of the above, it was a great find. Botkier pumps were originally $550. Almost a flight to London for that price! I got them at The Bay for $160 minus random 10% from a lovely sales person. Now the challenge is to find an occassion to wear those before it starts snowing.

k.

TIFF 2010 Recap. Absolute Vodka TIFF Event

TIFF was not very eventful for me. I have not seen any movies. My lousy excuse this time was – movies that get great reviews in the press would be out in theaters anyways. There is a great opportunity to see independent or foreign movies, but when time is limited, it's hard to make selections. So, I just gave up. Biting my nails when someone I know came from the theater, I repeated that excuse to myself again and again...

Parties wise, I was lucky enough to be dragged to a couple of places on an opening night Sep 9, 2010. One was Nikki Beach at C Lounge, which was empty and boring the first night at 8pm. The other was Absolute Vodka TIFF related event later in the evening and it was amazing. Rooftop of a parking lot in a downtown core was a location of the party. The guests were driven upstairs in a golf cart. The skyscrapers around the lot had movies and logos projected on. Commissioned art installations around the space were great ice breakers in the small friendly conversations. They also were an easy excuse to run away from those "weather" talks to pull and press some buttons on a random box with letters. The stage in the middle had few singers performing before a DJ set. It was a little chilly outside and that sudden change of weather felt uncomfortable. Nevertheless it seemed like everyone enjoyed themselves and each other. 

I called the crowd "upscale hipsters". Trendy with a style and a bit of a "starving artist" flair. Black leather jackets, high heels, nice purses and interesting jewelery. It was fashion, art, marketing and advertising industry. The drinks were, as you might have guessed, provided by Absolute vodka. However, they ran out of a regular one and served flavoured kind, hence the hangover next morning. Never mind half broken heel on my Mickael Kors, very long "the-day-after" and a headache, I could honestly say the party was fun. Finding my picture on someone's blog made it even more exciting...On monstermedia.ca to be exact...

More images after the jump.

Toronto International Film Festival 2010. Recap



Image from TIFF.net

I know! TIFF has ended last week. However, I would still like to dedicate couple of posts to that important festival that gave our city an international recognition in the movie circles. Plus, the new TIFF Bell Lightbox has a calendar of events for all the weeks past TIFF itself.

Rich program includes special guests' presentations, installations and etc. Classic and important contemporary movies are screened throughout the year.

More information on TIFF.net
k.

PULP Magazine by Arkan Zakharov

PULP Issue 1 Cover

There is a brand new online fashion magazine PULP coming from a talented photographer, Arkan Zakharov. We have mentioned his name before here.
In his words about the new magazine:

PULP is a fully visual fashion magazine that will target fashion insiders as well as professionals in the graphic and photography industry. Our focus is on long editorial spreads that will push the boundaries of fashion, photography, art, design, creative talent/artists, contemporary culture, beauty, while showcasing fascinating models and their personalities.

Check it out at PULPMAGAZINEONLINE.COM
Pretty amazing!
k.

Fira & Capa is 1 Year Old

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Fira&Capa
I just wanted to wish the blog again a Happy Birthday!
And thank you all for your consistent support, interest and input.
We could not have thought that Fira & Capa, a project that took few seconds to start up, would turn into what it is now. Thank you Ira aka Fira for her research, interviews, postings and for commitment, interest and love.

Love,
k.

Robert LePage in Toronto this Fall

image from koreantimes.com.

I wrote about the famed Canadian director, actor, and screenwriter Robert LePage here. This Fall, Torontonians have a rare opportunity of seeing two of his recent works.

The Anderson Project that's based (yes, you've guessed right) on Hans Christian Andersen's tales is coming to the Bluma Appel Theatre. More details here.

Eonnagata, a mixture of theatrical techniques and styles, features costumes designed by the late Alexander McQueen. Visit the Sony Centre's site for more details.

F.

The Fall Shortlist

As always, Fall for me is about arts. I am looking forward to the NBC and COC's season openings, concerts, movies, and all other things "artsy". Here is a shortlist of things that I'd like to see this year, along with the other once I've been blogging about lately.

Banana Shpeel by Cirque du Soleil is an electric mixture of acrobatics, dance, and comedy. It's a must-see for everybody! Now 'till October 10th, Cannon Theatre.

Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard - a classic! Unfortunately, you have to go to Niagara-on-the-Lake to see it. Visit shawfest.com for more details.

Lang Lang at the Roy Thomson Hall. The clip above says it all. This not-so-classical pianist is unbelievable. Watch him closely and enjoy the raw emotions of his playing. Visit TSO.ca for more details.

Roger Waters - anybody got an extra ticket? Please please please... Seeing Pink Floyd live a dream come true! Hurry, the first out of three performances is tonight. Go here for details.

Middle Eastern Belly Dancing - Yasmina Ramzy of Arabesque Dance in Toronto is one of the best dancers out there. Enjoy a free performance, details here.

F.

Denis Gagnon for Bedo

images from bedo.ca

Montreal designer Denis Gagnon is famous for his angular draping and strong silhouettes. His collaboration with Bedo channels exactly that - strong clothing for strong, sophisticated women. Expect to see a lot of greys and blacks.

In stores August 26.

F.

Happy Birthday Fira and Capa!

Our blog is one year old! The actual date was September 9, but better later then never...


Happy belated Birthday, Fira and Capa!

Robert LePage

For those of you that are interested in theatre, especially Canadian theatre and other stage work, here is a link to Robert LePage’s biography. I was fortunate to see his Lipsynch, and I am really looking forward to the upcoming productions this Fall (stay tuned for the announcement later this week).

F.

Lululemon Athletica Warehouse Party

Lululemon is having a big warehouse sale again. As usually, it’s hardly accessible to an average downtown dweller – it’s in Hamilton! I am hoping to get a ride there with a friend, but for those of you that drive or have reliable shopping buddies that drive, here are the full details:

Lululemon Warehouse Homecoming Party, from Thursday September 30th to Sunday October 3rd 2010, at the Hamilton Convention Centre.

Please note:
*All sales are final
*There will be a men's and women's change room
*NO BAGS will be allowed into the sale and we will have a mandatory bag check

Methods of Payment:
*We will be accepting cash, debit and credit (Visa, Mastercard & American Express) – photo ID MUST accompany any credit card purchase
*No gift cards will be accepted

Hours of Operation:
Thursday 10am - 9pm
Friday 10am - 9pm
Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm
*Doors will close approximately 30 minutes before closing time

I am super curious about the sale. Do you think they will offer at least 50% off the regular price? Or will it just be a mare $10 off?

Let’s hope they are generous this time!

F.

Us VS Them

While getting ready for work this morning, I was thinking about all the things women carry in their bags and whether they really need them or not… I’ve realized that the larger my purses get, the more items I find that are “absolutely necessary” for me to have at any given moment of the day. Aside from all the usual girlie things – a make-up case, a hair comb – I also carry along a desk-sized day planner, a paperback to read on the subway, two BBs, two sets of keys, snacks, and at least one pair of sunglasses in a huge hard case. All these items are absolutely essential for me to function normally and I really can’t think of sacrificing any of them for the sake of lightening up my purse. I still can remember the days when I also carried a pack of smokes, a few lighters, a few packs of gum, and a scented hand lotion to take away the cigarette smell of my hands. I am surprised I could even get away with just a purse, and not to resort to a carry-on luggage for everyday use.

Now think about an average man. First, he doesn’t even own a bag. Most of the guys are too macho to carry a man-purse, they think it diminishes their masculinity. Instead, they stuff all their belongings in the back pant pockets. Their keys are limited to a single car key, a single apartment/house key, and an office pass card. Their wallet doesn’t even deserve the name. Usually it’s just a bunch of cards and coins with the driver’s license thrown in for a good measure. I don’t know how they survive without well, just about everything a normal person need on daily basis…

Wait, I know! I know how they survive without all these things – they simply ask us, their wives, girlfriends, and sisters for all the things they need. “Honey, do you have a gum (tissue, cash, chopstick, comb, pen and paper, a cell phone that’s actually charged, their business cards…)?”

I know I sound a little like Carrie from SATC, and I am sure that finally watching the first two seasons of the show had influenced me a lot (thanks, Ilonka and Igor), but thins was entirely unintentional. I just wanted to share some thoughts with you, and I hope you will share yours! Tell me what’s in your purse.

Have a great weekend!

F.

I've Lost My Shoes...

My favourite Michael Kors black flats have mysteriously disappeared from the house. I have suspicions as to who is to blame for the loss of shoes, but no evidence to prove it. So, I had to go out on an urgent Black Shoe hunt...

These Campbells are only $60 on sale.

F.

Closet Update

Have you flipped your closet for Fall yet? I haven’t ,but I know that 80% of my Fall/Winter clothing is grey, brown, and black. I’ve also made a few look-good-every-day resolutions, so some shopping is in order. I need both core pieces (think black turtleneck, straight-leg jeans, some v-necks) and a few colorful items to enhance my otherwise monochromatic wardrobe.

There are two major shopping event happening soon. One is a rare Downtown sample sale at the Sheraton on Queen West (123 Queen street West, City Hall Ballroom). Expect to see brands like D&G, Coach, MiuMiu and more at up to 80% off. More details and dates/time here.

Another event is the Toronto Clothing Show. It’s a three-day event celebrating local designers and their unique pieces. I am expecting to score some great accessories (and you know, they make the outfit), unique Ts, and get tons of inspiration. I look forward to meeting very talented people and sharing ideas and excitement with them. Details about the show here.

Enjoy,

F.